Women's hockey stars to boycott pro season, demand single 'viable' league

More than 200 of the world's top female hockey players have agreed to boycott North American professional leagues for the 2019-2020 season in an effort to alter the direction of women's hockey and push for a sustainable professional league.

"We will not play in any professional leagues in North America this season until we get the resources that professional hockey demands and deserves," read a prepared statement published Thursday morning.

The group of players includes U.S. national team star Hilary Knight and Canadian icon Marie-Philip Poulin.

"We cannot make a sustainable living playing in the current state of the professional game. Having no health insurance and making as low as $2,000 a season means players can't adequately train and prepare to play at the highest level," the statement adds.

"It's time for a long-term, viable professional league that will showcase the greatest product of women's professional hockey in the world."

The NWHL is the only remaining professional women's league. The Canadian Women's Hockey League folded March 31 after 12 years of operation.

"The thought of not playing in a pro league is daunting and nerve-racking," said Knight, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. "But we firmly believe we're doing the right thing for our sport and that when we do play, we will do so in a league that embodies the values of our game.

"We can see where our game is now and where it has to be in order to be sustainable in the long term."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly stated the NHL will not involve itself in the operations of the NWHL. The NHL previously gave $50,000 annually to both the CWHL and the NWHL, upping its NWHL contribution to $100,000 after the CWHL ceased operations.